The Irish standard., 1887-01-29

TURDAY, JANUARY Is
Shine was now slumbering by the fire,
and gained the apartment in the further
end of the house.
"My love!-my own love!' said the
woman, laying her hand on his arm. and
pressing it afectionately-we have been
now four years married, living together,
true to one another, in sickness, in want,
in joy-(and we had our share Of that
too, Mark,-and in guilt-(and of that
too, Mark, hadn't we?(-and-"
..Come! comel" said spellacy, i'm
patiently-''what preachment are we to
have now?''
II was only saying, Mark, that we
had been now so long married, and l
never-never once made you request
since the first day we wedded.''
s.And whose fault do you want to say
that was2''
my own, darlingl" she said, laying
her hands carressingly on his shoulders
-s'sure know twas my own! but it
won't be my fault any longer, for have
something to ask you for now at last. y
"Well, what's that to be?" the hus-
band muttered distrustfully.
..First tell me, darling, what you in
tend"
.'Poh! the old plan always. To make
sure o. the horses and the arms you
know, and then the four of us to ride off
to Drumscanlon, and do our business
there--and be back so as to take these
here upon their way. twill be brisk
nights work, - he added looking into the
air.
..You will not use violence?" she said
faltering, while she watched his eyes.
no-no-no-to be sure" the
fellow replied carelessly.
The negative was not satisfactory.
ssMark, said the woman, twining her
arms close about his neck, and looking
with an agony of entreaty in his face,
tmy request-my first and only one-is
this-that you will spend this evening
with me, and let those men depart in
peace"
Suil Dhuv stared upon her.
81 charge you," she continued, rails
ing her voice and assuming more SOL
emn tone, charm them not! Lay not
your finger on hair of that old mans
head, as you value your life! Do not
brush the dust from his path! If you
give him one evil eye-one bad wish
one rufiar thought-it were better for
you, your nurse had strangled you upon
her lapl Let the morning dawn see you
as innocent of harm, thought or done.
towards him, as the child that is un-.
born!"
swhy-sally-p
"Keep off your hand! You know me
not!-I tell you, man, you know but
little of me yet. Observe my words, or
fear 'em!-Fear for your soul! or if that
will not startle you, fear for your neck!
for as sure as that mans way is
troubled-ay, if OILY by pebble cast nj
it by your hand, you shall die the death
of dogl''
She was about to leave the room, as If
conscious of her inability to sustain the
commanding and energetic tone she had
assumed in her fit Of enthusiasm, when
Suil Dhuv, at length recovered from his
astonishment, though not at all touched
either by tenderness or her menaces,
seized her firmly by the arm-shui the
door ast,-and lookinng fxedly into her
eyes, asked:
.sWho is this man?''
.sNo matter' said the woman, avoid
ing his gaze and clearing the perspira
tion from her brow, ''that is my re-
quest, grant or refuse it as you will.'
The Coiner slowly relaxed his hold,
while he remained gazing with an exer-
tion of intense scrutiny on her changing
and agitated features. She seemed to
understand the action, though she dared
not look at him, and this consciousness
served only to increase her anxiety. A
creeping, cold, malignant smile at length
parted his hard lips, and gllstened with
triumphant light in his eye. He let
her hand fall, and walked in silence to-
ward the door.
It was now her turn to interpose.
.Hold! stay" she exclaimed, Ills my
request granted? o tell me what you
intend!"
.'You can be secret, sally-so can
T."
s.He is friend of mine, Mark, isn't
that enough?''
s:Enough of what? Don't you know,
there are some friends of yours that are
worse than enemies to me-"
The Door woman did know it very